The invention relates in general to a motor vehicle door, and more particularly, to a motor vehicle door having inner and outer door panels and a window assembly opening sealed by a functional unit of the door.
German Patent No. DE-41 12 261 Al describes a motor vehicle door with an outer door panel and an inner door panel having a recess on which a socket part (module support) is mounted. The socket part supports an electric window lift and a cable tree with several plug connections. In the assembled state, the socket part covers the largest area of the opening in the inner door panel. In the upper area of the inside of the door, between the edges of the inner door panel and socket part, is an assembly opening which is provided to allow a window lift to be fitted on a window lift rail, connected to the lower edge of the window pane, during assembly.
The described structural design has the drawback that the recessed part is not of a suitable size and shape to close the outer door area substantially hermetically from the inner door area and thus provide a dry chamber suitable for housing electrical components. Owing to the remaining assembly openings, an additional large surface foil must be used in addition to divert the water.
German Patent No. EP 0 492 355 B discloses a door for a motor vehicle with an assembly support which is cut out of the inner door panel and occupies practically the entire surface of the door body lying under the belt line. Fastening tabs spread out over the circumference on the inner door panel and on the assembly support serve to connect the two parts. However, free spaces remain between adjoining fastening tabs. Several assembly openings are provided in the material of the assembly support which potentially allow for the window winder to be connected to the window pane.
Even with this solution a separate seal is necessary to seal the inner door space from seeping water if one wants to avoid expensive waterproofed designs for the electrical assemblies (e.g. electric motor) and plug connections.
German Patent No. DE 35 29 660 C2 describes a cable tree for a motor vehicle door which is mounted on a support plate of the inner door trim which seals the opening in the inner door panel substantially against water. Only in the lower area of the support plate are two cable guides provided through which an electric motor as well as the central locking are to be provided with energy. However, sealing the cable guides is not provided. Another variation starts from a door with an inner door panel which has some assembly openings and the cable tree is mounted with its plug connections on the inner door trim.
Even these technical solutions have the already described drawbacks regarding the necessity for a separate sealing measure, or expensive wet area designs of the door to protect the electrical components.
German Patent No. DE 39 28 685 C1 discloses a device for fixing a window lift base plate on the inner wall of a vehicle door. A part of the outer circumference of the window lift base plate is connected to a flexible extruded sealing profile which, in the assembled state of the window lift, sealingly adjoins the inner door panel of the vehicle. A recess is provided corresponding to the outline of the window lift base plate. When the window lift base plate is fitted on the inner door panel of the vehicle door, the recess (14) is indeed closed, but in order to adjust the window, additional handles extending through further openings separated from the recess are required.
Japanese Patent No. JP 6-144011 (A) discloses a water-tight construction for a motor vehicle door wherein the inside wall of the door is provided with a recess. With this device, a connecting cover is fixed from outside of the closed support plate with sealing material mounted therebetween. Only after fitting further connecting rods are the openings covered inside the inner door panel. These connection rods remain after the connecting cover has been fitted.
Canadian Patent No. CA-A I 332 620 discloses a vehicle door with an outside door panel, an inside door panel, and a door module which can be inserted in the inside wall. The door module supports all the functional units of the vehicle door. An inner door trim is fixed over the door module. In one embodiment a dry space is formed inside the door module and contains a door opener, an electrical control unit, and a loudspeaker. The dry space is formed from a suitably hollowed area of the door module which is not broken through, an area of the inner door trim opposite the hollowed area, and suitable sealing faces between the door module and inner door trim.
However, a locally restricted assembly opening in the door module or in the inner door panel which allows the window lift to be connected to a window pane is not provided.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a motor vehicle door with locally restricted assembly openings to facilitate assembly of a window pane on a window lift which, without additional separate sealing means for these assembly openings, allows the door body to be divided into an outer wet chamber and an inner dry chamber with simple assembly, and which allows modular construction of the vehicle door.